


Cuddling by Candlelight

by SnowQueenOfMyHeart



Series: Christmas with the Snow Queen [10]
Category: Frozen (2013), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Ace Lesbians, Asexual Relationship, Casselsa, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Music, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, Light&LoveChallenge18, Naked Cuddling, Nudity, Singing, cabin in the woods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 00:21:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17131463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowQueenOfMyHeart/pseuds/SnowQueenOfMyHeart
Summary: For the #Light&LoveChallenge18 on Tumblr.  Elsa and Cassandra spend a weekend in a small cabin in the woods to unwind and enjoy each other's company.  Lots of cuddling and tasteful nudity.





	Cuddling by Candlelight

The snow fell softly, blanketing the trees and the ground in a pristine layer of white fluffy goodness.  The moon was full and bright, illuminating the landscape and giving it a magical feeling.  A small cabin lay dark and quiet in the woods.  Until a car pulled up and two women entered the cabin.

Candles were lit as they briefly unpacked and got settled in.  The cabin was rustic but with a few amenities of modern life.  A central fireplace was the main source of heat, so the dark-haired woman busied herself with gathering wood and stoking the fire while the blonde tidied up and ensured everything was all set.

Elsa and Cassandra had escaped to the woods to get away for just a night and a day, a little mental break from the chaos of the holiday season.  They also desperately needed some private time to enjoy each other’s company without having to worry about work or having any interruptions.  The worst of it was overhearing the very obvious and sometimes scarcely concealed lovemaking of their friends; for Elsa and Cassandra, it was a bit nauseating.  But they did not come to the woods for a wild night of lovemaking.  No, they just needed something simpler.

As Cassandra examined the fire one last time before setting down the last of the logs she had gathered, Elsa assembled pillows and blankets on the floor in front of the hearth.

“What’s that for?” Cassandra asked, mildly curious as to what happened to the beds.

“For sleeping, my dear,” Elsa replied as she unfurled a big, crimson blanket.

Cassandra moved to stand beside her and looked over the scene.  “I didn’t imagine you wanted to sleep by the fire.  Do you think you’ll get cold?”  She’s teasing, of course.

Elsa looks up and raises an eyebrow.  “Absolutely not.  I just thought it would be nice to try something new, that’s all.”

It was getting late, and the women were soon feeling drowsy from the long day and the heat of the fire.  That’s when Elsa made her suggestion.

“I was thinking…since we’re alone out here…”  Her hands fiddled with the sides of her glass of amaretto.

Cassandra set down her amaretto and fixed her gaze on her girlfriend.  “What did you have in mind?”

Elsa glanced up, opened her mouth, and did so again before speaking.  “Perhaps we could…ditch the clothes?  While we’re here?  I mean, I’ll be fine, of course.  But I understand if you-”

“Sure,” Cassandra replied, catching Elsa by surprise.  “I’d love that.”

“You…you would?”

“Yes, I’ve actually been wondering when we’d get a chance to cuddle like that.  I mean, you know I’m not a big cuddly person…”

It was true.  Cassandra normally did not do cute.  But Elsa changed that.  The Snow Queen had brought out a different side of her, and Cassandra practically melted when Elsa smiled at her or hugged her.  So, to share a bed with her…in the nude…

“But we don’t have to fuck.”

Elsa nodded.  “I wasn’t counting on it.  Cass, I…I just want to hold you close tonight.”

She couldn’t think of something to say, so she opted for kissing Elsa instead.  As they looked into each other’s eyes, Cassandra found herself wanting to get lost in those beautiful sapphire blues.  Turns out Elsa felt the same as she locked her gaze with longing hazel ones.

“Let’s call it a night.”

“Good idea.”

Both women started undressing, with Cassandra finishing first.  She did feel a bit chilly even though the fire was still going strong.  Slipping under the blanket and propping herself up on one arm, she looked back and….

It wasn’t the first time she had seen Elsa naked.  No, that was a while ago, on an evening where they discovered how much they loved each other and had a night neither would ever forget.  Cassandra could still remember the feeling of pulling off Elsa’s nightgown for the first time and desperately hoping she was not dreaming.  But the warmth of Elsa’s body and the sensation of skin-on-skin contact proved it was very real.  And Elsa found herself recalling the sight of seeing Cassandra’s muscular form that same night, how she was in awe and wanted to press herself against this woman whom she trusted deeply.  They had both taken a chance, and it was well worth it.

But this night was not about repeating that night of sexual discovery.  This night was about reveling in their physicality, of savoring the simple touch and gentle caress.

Elsa walked over and, kneeling by the makeshift bed, flung the blanket back.  She involuntarily inhaled at the sight of Cassandra’s body.  She couldn’t help herself; it had been so long since they had seen each other like this.

“You are still so beautiful.”

“So are you, Elsa.”

Sliding in beside her, Elsa cupped Cassandra’s cheek and kissed her.  Dragging it out, they kissed like that a few more times.  Elsa’s hands and arms wrapped around her shoulders, while Cassandra secured her arms around her waist and pulled her close.  Lying chest-to-chest, hip-to-hip, they looked through half-lidded eyes and remembered why they fell in love all over again.

“I don’t want to lose you,” Cassandra whispered in a hoarse voice.

“You won’t,” Elsa gently admonished.  “I’ll be right here, all night.”

And with that, Cassandra pulled the blanket up to cover them just beneath the shoulders.  Elsa snuggled into the crook of Cassandra’s neck, resting along her collarbone.  Cassandra nuzzled into platinum blonde locks and rubbed small circles over the blanket, chasing away the chill on Elsa’s back.  Soon, they were sound asleep.  Even as the fire died down, the warmth of their bodies – with legs tangled together and arms wrapped in secure embraces – kept them comfortable all night long.

* * *

 

It was late morning before Cassandra awoke, blearily looking around and trying to figure out how long they had been asleep.  But as she shifted slightly to find a clock, she suddenly felt chilly.  The blanket slipped as she sat up and instantly, she regretted moving at all.  Quickly pulling it back up, she shimmied until she was flush against Elsa who was now starting to wake up from all the movement.

“Sorry, I just got cold,” Cassandra apologized in a whisper.

“I can tell,” Elsa murmured.  She could feel cold hands eagerly pressing against her back, seeking any source of warmth.  She didn’t mind.  It was nice to feel someone holding her close out of a desire for warmth; Elsa had spent so long convinced she could not possibly feel warm.  To know that Cassandra found her body warm was a welcome relief.  Well, Anna had always said her sister was warm, but that was different.

“Roll over,” Elsa commanded gently.  Cassandra moved to lie on her back, and soon Elsa was lying on top of her, eyes half open and a dopey grin on her face.

“Good morning.”

Cassandra smiled as she ran her hands down Elsa’s back.  “Good morning, beautiful.”

“Aww, you’re sweet.”

“No, you are.”  Cassandra winked.

Elsa chuckled and gave a quick peck on the lips.  “So, is it actually morning?”

“Don’t know.  Does it really matter?”

Elsa shrugged.  “Honestly, I just want to spend all day like this.  You and me, here in front of a fire.”

Cassandra’s face broke into a smile of pure affection.  “I would love that.”

For the next little while, Cassandra busied herself with getting the fire going and Elsa put together a tray of pastries and fruits they had brought to snack on.  She also fixed some eggs just to have something warm and a little protein.  At no point did either of them bother with getting clothes.

“This is really nice,” Cassandra remarked as she joined Elsa by the small kitchen area.  “It feels so liberating to be like this.”

“I know,” Elsa concurred.

As Cassandra took a seat at the small table, she took a fork and shoved a large amount of egg in her mouth.  Elsa rolled her eyes and brought two cups of hot tea over.  She set one down beside Cassandra’s plate, and then gracefully sat down in her lap.

Cassandra looked up to see a mischievous smirk on her face.  “Ever the tease, aren’t you?”

“Only with you, honey bear.”

“You don’t want to sit in a proper chair?”

“No.  Do you want me to move?”

“Never.”  Cassandra looped an arm around her waist as if she feared Elsa would get up.  She was perfectly fine with their arrangement.  It did keep her warm since they had moved away from the fire.

They continued eating and chatting about all sorts of things:  how the holidays had gone so far, all the shenanigans Anna or Rapunzel or whoever had been up to, what kind of presents they had been hunting for.

“Oh!  That reminds me…” Cassandra interjected with a mouthful of blackberry scone.  “I got you something, just for while we’re out here.  It’s an album that I think you were interested in hearing.”

Elsa’s eyes lit up.  “Oh my…if it’s what I think it is, I’m sure I’ll love it.”

As they finished eating, it occurred to them that it was still rather dark outside.  The sky was overcast, making it seem like the world was stuck in evening rather than midday.  But it only served to create a cozy aesthetic in the cabin.  Elsa lit several candles to light up the place while Cassandra added more wood to the fire.  Soon, the room had a warm glow that somehow softened the features of the two inhabitants.

They looked at each other from across the room.  Neither wanting the evening to end.

“Come on,” Cassandra said, breaking the silence, “let’s get back under the blanket.”

Once settled, both women looked and wondered what to do or say next.  To have this moment – this day all to yourself – was so unusual for them.  But they would savor it.

“Tell me something,” Cassandra whispered.

“Anything,” replied Elsa equally softly.

Cassandra gulped.  She usually wasn’t this blunt, but she trusted Elsa deeply.  “What do you think about my body?  What do you like about it?”

Elsa pondered the question.  Her eyes wandered a bit.  “I love your abs.  How strong your core is.  And when I press myself against you…” Elsa gingerly reached out to touch her midsection, leaving the butch feeling helpless, “…I feel so alive in a way I can’t quite explain.”

Her fingers traced along the edge of Cassandra’s body, feeling cotton but silently wishing there was no blanket there.  As if reading her mind, Cassandra slipped the cover down so that Elsa could savor the touch of her skin.

“I never knew a woman could be so strong and look so good,” Elsa whispered in awe.

Cassandra blushed.  For the second time this weekend, she was falling in love with this woman all over again.

“Now, what about me?” Elsa teased, suspecting she knew the answer.

“Well,” Cassandra began, weighing her words carefully, “you are definitely gorgeous beyond words.  But if I had to choose what I love about your body…”

She reached out and ran a hand along her side before brushing delicately over her chest.

“I’m sorry, but you have the most perfect breasts in the world.”

It was now Elsa’s turn to blush.  “Thank you.  And don’t apologize.  At least you have the sensibility to treat them with respect.  Far too many people don’t seem to get that.”

Cassandra knew exactly what she meant.  Instinctively, she pulled Elsa closer until the femme was half-lying on top of her.  “You are perfect, Elsa.  I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you let me into your life.  You had every reason to fear me and keep me away…”

“But I didn’t,” Elsa interjected, brushing a strand of hair out of Cassandra’s face.  “I love you, Cassandra, and I trusted you to treat my body with respect.  Something that I always feared would never happen.  It’s painful enough to fear simple contact with others, but to know that so many would see me and only a body to use for their own…” She trailed off, not wanting to finish that thought and ruin the moment.

Cassandra squeezed her gently.  “I promise I won’t.  I would sooner die.”

“I know,” Elsa croaked.  She buried her face into Cassandra’s chest and hugged tightly while Cassandra nuzzled her nose into her hair as she reciprocated the embrace.

“Your hair is amazing,” Cassandra murmured.  “I thought dealing with seventy feet of Raps’ unbreakable blonde hair was insane, but yours is just…so thick and yet incredibly soft.”  Her fingers traced through the wild mane, soothing the queen as she relaxed into the embrace.

“But there is one thing I am blown away by,” Cassandra continued, causing Elsa to look up.  “Your voice.  I heard you can sing quite well.  I’d love to hear it.”

Elsa sniffed and propped her chin on her hand.  “Funny, I heard the same thing about you from Rapunzel,” she replied, cocking an eyebrow teasingly.

Cassandra countered with a raised eyebrow of her own.  “Seems like we need to settle this.”

It was now approaching evening.  How so much time had passed was beyond them, but it didn’t matter.  The fire was dying, and yet the candles created such a pleasant glow that Cassandra didn’t bother to stoke the hearth this time.  She figured Elsa might like the aesthetic.

Turning on the stereo and selecting an album of Harry Connick Jr., Elsa came back and lay down beside Cassandra.

“Remember this?”

“Oh yeah,” Cassandra said as she listened to the smooth jazz version of ‘Sleigh Ride’.  “This was the album I played back at your apartment, when you were baking after our dinner date.”

“Yes, precisely,” Elsa replied, eyes sparkling as she traced her fingers across Cassandra’s stomach.  “And you were very helpful that night with baking, by the way.”

“Oh, shut up,” Cassandra rolled her eyes, knowing very well her only contribution was making Elsa giggle with her cuddliness that night.

Soon, they were sitting up and singing along, the blanket bunched up over their legs.  Elsa produced a tray of chocolates – how predictable.  The woman had quite a sweet tooth.  It could hardly get more perfect than this, but Cassandra still had her surprise to give Elsa.

Once the album finished, Cassandra encouraged Elsa to go retrieve the album she had brought.  Curious, Elsa walked over and pulled a CD case out of Cassandra’s bag.  As the butch watched from her place by the hearth, munching on a piece of dark chocolate, she saw the femme’s face break into inexplicable joy.

“Pink Martini!  You knew!” Elsa exclaimed, turning back and clutching the album to her chest.  “Thank you, Cass.”

“You’re very welcome.  Go ahead and play it.”

As she got settled in and listened to the sounds of Pink Martini, Elsa hummed in delight.  This was heavenly.  Cozied up by candlelight with her wonderful girlfriend, both clad in nothing but the blankets they scarcely needed now because of the warmth of their love and affection.  A tray of chocolates mostly eaten leaving her sated and full of sugar.

One song was in Hebrew, and much to Cassandra’s surprise, Elsa sang along to it.  Cassandra knew that Elsa could speak several languages, but never would she have imagined Hebrew being one.  It was beautiful, the way the blonde seamlessly blended in with the album.

Then it was Elsa’s turn to be surprised as Cassandra sang ‘Little Drummer Boy’ with gusto and the same jazz feeling as the album.  If Elsa didn’t know any better, she would say the dark-haired woman was the original singer.  She could only gaze up in love, her head propped on an arm at the soldier performing for her.

“That was amazing,” Elsa breathed as she finished.  “You should do that more often.”

“Anything for you, sweet treat,” Cassandra winked.

A bit later, another song played that left Cassandra utterly speechless.  The lyrics were in Italian, yet Elsa joined right in.  She was so overcome with the music that she sat up, closed her eyes and somehow became impossibly more beautiful.

 

_La vergine degli angeli_

_Mi copra del suo manto_

_E me protegga vigile_

_Di Dio l’Angelo santo_

_La vergine degli angeli_

_E me protegga me protegga_

_L’angiol di dio_

_E me protegga_

_L’angiol di dio_

_Me protegga_

_E me protegga_

 

As she watched, enraptured by her girlfriend’s performance, Cassandra was so overcome with emotion.  She even felt a bit choked up at the way Elsa delivered her lines.  It was like listening to an angel – no, a goddess – singing sweetly and passionately.  It made her heart burst.

When Elsa finished, she opened her eyes to see her girlfriend wearing a face she had never seen before.  A look that said _I love you so much_ , a look that was raw and vulnerable, a look of pure affection and admiration.  And that made Elsa feel like the most beloved woman in the world.

Then Cassandra surprised Elsa and herself with the next song.  It was ‘We Three Kings’, but in a spur of the moment decision, the butch opted for changing the lyrics a bit to tailor it to her seemingly divine girlfriend.

 

_We three Queens and lesbians are_

_Bearing gifts we traverse afar_

_Field and fountain, moor and mountain_

_Following yonder star_

_Born a Queen on Arendelle’s plain_

_Gold I bring to crown her again_

_Queen forever, ceasing never_

_Over us all to reign_

_O Star of wonder, star of night_

_Star with royal beauty bright_

_Northward leading, still proceeding_

_Guide us to thy perfect light_

_Frankincense to offer have I_

_Incense owns a deity nigh_

_Prayer and praising, all girls raising_

_Worship her, Goddess high_

_Glorious now behold Her arise_

_Queen of snow and Queen of ice_

_Alleluia, Alleluia_

_Earth to heaven replies_

_O Star of wonder, star of night_

_Star with royal beauty bright_

_Northward leading, still proceeding_

_Guide us to thy perfect light_

_Star of wonder, star of night_

_Star with royal beauty bright_

_Northward leading, still proceeding_

_Guide us to thy perfect light_

 

The music continued, but both Elsa and Cassandra were too hopelessly in love to want to keep singing.  They just gazed at each other for a few minutes before Elsa slid over, cupped Cassandra’s cheek, and kissed her.

“Thank you for that,” she whispered.  “I really needed this.”

“So did I,” Cassandra admitted.  “Things have been so busy lately, I forgot what being this close felt like.”

Rubbing her finger along Cassandra’s cheek, Elsa leaned forward so that their foreheads were touching.  “I don’t think we’re heading back home tonight.”

“Do you want to start packing?” the soldier teased.

“Absolutely not,” the queen protested.  “I just want to cuddle you all night long.”

Cassandra grinned.  “I can work with that.”

Soon, the music stopped, and the light from the candles faded as they slowly melted away.  Night overtook the cabin, with only the light of the moon slipping through the windows.  But by the hearth, two women were fast asleep covered only in a blanket.  Legs tangled up, arms wrapped around each other in a secure embrace, Cassandra’s head tucked beneath Elsa’s chin, they had just enough warmth to be comfortable.  It seemed as if Elsa was radiating warmth for once; perhaps it was because of the overwhelming love and affection she felt for the woman pressed against her.  The cold didn’t bother her, of course, so she ensured that her girlfriend would not feel too chilly during the night.

Sure enough, Cassandra wasn’t cold.  She was plenty warm from the loving embrace of her girlfriend.  And when she woke up the next morning, to see that face she adored so much…

She knew she was right where she belonged.

**Author's Note:**

> Lyrics from the album "Joy to the World" by Pink Martini. Merry Christmas!


End file.
